MSTCV Porepunkah Christmas Camp 26/12/2005 to 2/01/2006

 

Who Went:  28 people, 25 bikes (4 trail bikes, 2 sidecar outfits, 19 road), 2 utes, 8 trailers, 6 cars, 1 van.

 

Lyn Duncan & Thor - Car, trailer and GSXR1000, unpowered tent site

Ben & Julie Warden – Car, trailer and CBR929RR, powered tent site              

Ron & Julie Johnston – Car, trailer and Bandit 1200, powered tent site

Cliff & Barbara Peters - Car, trailer and GSXR1000, powered tent site

Danny Hawker – Ute, trailer, ZX-10R, GSXR750 and YZ250, shared cabin.

Darryn Webster & Julianne – Car, trailer, ZX-6R and Ducati 900M, cabin

Dave Ward & Bronwyn – Ute, trailer, MV SPR, MV Brutale & CRF250, cabin

Ian Payne – Van & CBR929RR, unpowered tent site

Clint Vertigan – Ute, GSXR750 & Husqvarna TC250, unpowered tent site

Peter Feistl – Honda Blackbird, shared cabin

Breht Emmerson & Libby – Car, trailer and CBR954RR, powered tent site

Renzo Cunico – VFR750 (stayed in Myrtleford)

Paul Southwell – CBR1000RR (staying in Tawonga - 2 visits)

Jacinta Thomas – CBR919RR, unpowered tent site

Les Leahy – DRZ400, unpowered tent site

John Cecil – BMW K100 Outfit (ex member & friend of Les), unpowered tent site

Bruce Gillmartin – BMW R90 Outfit (friend of Les), unpowered tent site

Peter Hill – KTM 950 Adventurer (friend of Les), unpowered tent site

Ern Reeders – Triumph 955 Sprint, unpowered tent site

Shane Hindle & daughter Meagan - R1100GS, unpowered tent site

Davorin Zivkovic (ex member) & Erin, powered tent site

 

Monday 26th

The nightly run up Buffalo had already been by the time I arrived this year. The park’s new owners had done some more improvements since our last visit.

 

Tuesday 27th

Today we would head to Anglers Rest and the “The Blue Duck Pub”. But first the Tawonga Gap road to the lookout, then back to the Bright Harrietville road and on to Hotham Heights, Dinner Plain and Omeo. Julianne found the pace a bit frenetic so exchanged the bike for the car and met us at Dinner Plain where she and Darryn had lunch. The rest of us continued on, the 30 km section of road between Omeo and Anglers Rest in sensational condition. Quite different to last year with sand everywhere!

 

After a drink and some photos at the pub it was back to Omeo for lunch, then onto Hotham. Along this stretch it was noticed Ben going much slower than normal! Seems he had FORGOTTEN to refuel at Omeo and with none till Harrietville it was quite conceivable that he would have to ‘roll’ all the way down the mountain! (Sixty kilometres on reserve with 0.4 litres to spare! …Ed.)

 

Meanwhile at the front the boys had caught up to another group of 8 bikes, which, as Dave put it “they seemed to explode when we caught them with bikes going everywhere” To say the pace was hot would be an understatement. But all survived with grins ear-to-ear, with probably only the car drivers unamused by the antics. We proceeded back to camp and later learned about Ron running a bit wide and giving a cyclist a fright! On our return we found Ern, Jacinta, Les, Shane and Meagan had arrived. Distance covered for the day: 375km (including the run up Mt. Buffalo evening ride)

 

Wednesday 28th

Today the main group rode to Dartmouth Dam and Tallangatta (including the Granya Gap) exploring many of the excellent roads around that area. Ern and Shane both needed front tyres so headed to Albury while Dave, Clint, and Darryn would ‘do’ Falls Creek, then with Ian, jumped on the pushies for a trip to Bright and the local BMX track where lots of fun was had.

 

On returning to camp we heard Ron and Renzo had crashed. Ron had his incident on the Tawonga Gap road when he ran wide on a left-hander and went off the road into a culvert! Apparently the bike flipped but fortunately it was still rideable and Ron was uninjured.

 

As for Renzo, he and Ern had a run up to Falls Creek but with a new front and a bit of gravel on the road Ern was being careful. But, this being Renzo’s second trip for the morning, he was on the pace until he hit a stick on a sharp corner that put him down. Fortunately little damage to him or the bike. Distance covered for the day 480 km (including Mt. Buffalo evening ride)

 

Thursday 29th

As today’s weather would be very hot, a short ride to Falls Creek had been planned. With a lull in the cricket, Paul had torn himself away from the TV to join in. We only got as far as the Porepunkah servo before our first incident where Peter, sitting astride the Blackbird, overbalanced – it was only the quick reflexes of those standing close by that stopped it getting nasty.

 

We headed across Tawonga Gap for the usual photos at the lookout then down to Mt. Beauty where Dave, Bron, Darryn, Julianne and Clint would leave us as they had plans of push-biking around Hotham Heights! The rest of us rode up to Falls Creek which proceeded without major incident apart from Ian feeling a bit off colour. The loose gravel did spoil it a bit, with at one stage Ben doing some grass tracking off the road! Ern left us here for a run along the dirt to Anglers Rest and lunch at the Blue Duck. Distance covered for the day 198km (including Mt. Buffalo evening ride)

 

Les had gone for a big dirt ride over to the Buckland Valley and then onto Wonnagatta and return. Peter, Bruce and John arrived today with Bruce and John’s purpose built outfits causing much discussion. Some of the group tried a ‘fine dining’ experience at Simone’s, an up-market restaurant in Bright.

 

Friday 30th

Another hot day forecast so up into the cool mountains hills was the plan. So with Peter tagging along on the big KTM we did the usual Tawonga Gap diversion before heading up to Hotham Heights for a group bike photo. We pushed along to Omeo for lunch then back again but this time stopping at Dinner Plain. I declined the stop as my ‘summer cold’ was beginning to worsen. My decision not to stop coincided with my partner Kerrie’s bushwalk finishing. Her bushwalking club was staying at Hotham. After a few words I continued on, anxious to get back to camp.

 

After the group returned I was surprised to learn of Peter’s crash as he is quite an experienced rider. Fortunately, he appeared to be OK though the bike had holed the plastic fuel tank. But as this model has twin tanks the boys just isolated the damaged side and he continued on.

 

After cooling off in the river we gave the cooks the night off and dined at the Porepunkah pub. Distance covered for the day 335km (including Mt. Buffalo evening ride). Ern, Jacinta, Clint, Darryn and Julianne left today.

 

Saturday 31st

As a hot 42ْ was forecast it would be a very short ride today. Fuel at Porpunkah, the back way to Bright then across Tawonga Gap, Tawonga, Happy Valley, Rosewhite and Myrtleford for morning tea at the new bakery.

 

Les and the others met us here. They had taken Peter to the local Myrtleford doctor as his hand was still very sore. X-rays confirmed a broken scaffoid bone. He returned to camp with his left arm in plaster but still insisting that he would ride the KTM home! Meanwhile, we rode the same roads in reverse and once back at camp spent the rest of the day in the river.

 

Several of us headed into Bright for dinner at the pizza shop then back to camp to see in the New Year. Lyn experienced a ride in the R90 outfit and very diplomatically said it was ‘different’. Distance covered for the day 363km (including Mt. Buffalo evening ride). Peter Feistl and Paul S. headed home today.

 

Sunday 1st

There was another ride across to Falls Creek but my flu was so bad I couldn’t go. Instead I farewelled Les, John, Bruce and Peter Hill who, despite the plastered left arm, rode off on the big KTM. A bit later Dave, Bron, Julie Warden and I cycled around to Boynton’s Winery, then on to the Berry Farm. More swimming to fill in the day, then dinner at the Caravan Park courtesy of Bron and Julie W. Distance covered for the day 210km (including the evening run up Mt. Buffalo)

 

Monday 2nd

Today the last of us headed home with only Lyn planning to stay on an extra couple of nights.

 

All in all a very successful camp this year and I thank the 28 members and friends who participated in the activities and made it such a success. As an indication of the fun we had, seven tyres were changed at camp plus another two in Albury!

 

Ian Payne